Boat storage system



March 5, 1963 F. M. CALANDRA 3,080,073

BOAT STORAGE SYSTEM Filed June 4, 1959 3,930,973 BQAT STORAGE SYdTEM Fred M. Caiaudra, Bniialo, N.Y. (75 Troy Del Way, Williamsville 21, N .Y.) Filed June 4, 1959, Ser. No. 818,172 1 Ciaim. (Cl. 214-164) This invention relates to a convenient method of storing water going vessels and the like. More particularly, this invention resides in a weather resistant boat storage system which is more convenient and economical than the hereto-fore used means.

It has been the practice in the prior art to transport a water going vessel from a distant place of storage to the water when needed. After use, or after the boating season, it was again required to transport the vessel over land to a suitable storage house. This practice is not only inconvenient, but quite time-consuming and expensive. This practice usually requires a lifting of the boat or vessel out of the water, placing it onto a car trailer or truck, transporting it to the place of storage and finally storing it at a place quite distant from the water. This practice necessitates a great deal or" lost time and money to the boat owner or user. Applicant has provided a boat storage system that is not only expedient, but also results in quite a saving financially. By the use of this invention, boats may be housed immediately after use and may be used immediately after storage. The system of this invention provides a weather resistant structure which protects the boat from the damaging effect of the elements. A saving on repairs, time and money is thus provided by this invention.

The system of this invention comprises a weather resistant boat housing structure situated as near the body of water as possible. Between the boat housing structure and the water is a transporting means which is adapted to lift the boat out of the Water and insert it is the housing compartment of the housing structure. The transporting means also is adapted to easily remove the vessel from the housing to the water when desired. Desirable seasonal storage of the vessel is provided by this invention. In the event that the water is navigable during the eason, the boat may be conveniently removed from the housing for temporary use. It would thus not be required to transport the boat from a distant storage house to the water for the short time of use desired. By the use of this invention a small portion of any given shore line may be effectively utilized for the storage of boats and at the same time provide for rapid removal and use of the water D vessel or boat.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a boat storage system easily accessible to boat users.

It is another object of this invention to provide an economical means for seasonal storage of water vessels.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a boat storage means that is adapted to allow the boat user rapid access to his boat whenever desired.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a boat storage means that will allow complete protection of the vessel in damaging Weather.

Other objects will become apparent upon a further reading of this disclosure.

In order that this invention be more easily understood, it will be described with reference to the attached drawing.

Near the shoreline 17 is provided a boat housing structure 1 which contains a plurality of boat compartments 2. Structure 1 is made of any suitable weather resistant material such as metal, brick, wood, plastic, etc. It is, however, critical to this invention that the structure 1 he made of a weather resistant material so as to provide complete protection of the stored vessels in any type of weather.

Patented Mar. 5, 1%53 The compartments 2 are completely enclosed on three sides leaving only the front portion open to allow for the insertion or removal of boats. The front opening, however, has a closing means which is used after the boat is removed or inserted in the compartment 2. This closure insures complete protection against weather and vandalism. These closing means can be easily situated in cross structure means 14, 15 and 16 so that all compartments need not be opened when removing or inserting a given boat. In other words, only the desired compartment need be opened upon moving a specific boat. The other com partments closures are undisturbed. A sliding door, or overhead door similar to garage doors may be also used as a closure means if desired. Convenient power doors or automatic doors may be installed easily by known means. It is also extremely desirable that this closure or door include locking means so as to afford the boats maximum protection. The roof or upper structure 12, and the side structure 13 should also be made of a Weather resistant material. Parallel or close to the housing structure 1 is a transporting means comprising a pair of rails 11, a boat insertion and removal means 3 and a boat lift 3. Insertion and removal or positioning means 3 travels from point 7 to point 19 of housing means 1, i.e. from one end to the other thereof. The boat left 8 lifts the boat from the Water at point it and carries the boat to the positioning means 3 adjacent the corner '7 of the structure 1. The boat is then deposited onto positioning means 3 from which it may be easily inserted into compartments 2. Lifting means 8, after it picks the boat out of the water, rotates to a position facing the positioning means 3 or to a position opposite to that facing the water. The lifting means than travels on rails it to the positioning means 3 and deposits the boat onto structure 21. If desired the boat may be transferred from the fork lift 9 to the structure 21 by merely positioning them at the proper level and pushing the boat from the former to the latter. When replacing a boat in the water it may be similarly pushed from the structure 2?. to the fork lift 9. Positioning means 3 then may travel to the location adjacent the desired compartment and the boat may be inserted into the compartment. Any suitable means may be used to insert the boat into the compartment. Preferably tilting means, for example, where the boat slides ofi structure 21 into the compartment may he used. Also utilizable is an extending means which travels into the compartment to deposit the boat. In removing a boat from a compartment it may be picked up by said extending means if one is provided, or may be merely pushed or pulled out of the compartment onto the structure 21. Both the boat lifting means 8 and the positioning means 3 run on rails 11 by the use of wheels or rollers 15; and 6, respectively. The lifting means 8 may comprise a lifting fork 9 which is movably mounted so as to have freedom of movement both vertically and horizontally. As stated above the fork is adapted to rotate completely from a position facing the water to a position facing the positioning means 3. Positioning means 3 comprises wheels or rollers 6, supporting structure 5, movable means 4 and situating structure 21. Movable means 4 is adapted to move from the bottom to the top of parallel supporting structure 5. Situating structure 21 is adapted to insert or/ and remove the boat in and from compartments 2. A dock 18 may be provided so as to allow the boat user to easily come to and from the boat. This structure is, of course, not necessary to the invention. A suitable control structure 22 may also be provided to allow the operator protection from the elements While operating the transporting means. The transporting means may be powered by any desirable manner or means found convenient. It should again be mentioned that it is critical to the invention that the structo close the front of the'compartment 2' maybe con structed of a flexible Weather resistant material many other desirable type of resistant material;

cations without department from the spirit of this inven* tion, Changes, modifications and ramifications made by those skilled in the art are intendedto be included in the scopesof this invention.

rcl my v i A boat storing apparatus comprising in combination: a multiple-story boat housing means;-=boat lifting means; boat inserting and removal means; and track means comprising a pair of rails extending' panallel to and alongside said housing means for supporting said boat lifting means and said-boat inserting and removal means; said housing means having therein a plurality of boat-housing co'nr-' partments each enclosed'on its't'op, bottom, sidesandone end and adapted to receive a boat through said other end; said boat lifting means being provided with rolling means engaged vvithsaid rails for permittin'grolling move ment thereon and having a body portion comprising" a vertically movable" lifting fork,- said body portion being ile {have shown described this invention'sper cifically, itis understood that it is capableofmanyrrmdifirotatable 180 about its" vertical axis whereby m'mdve a boat carried on saidlifting fork from one side of said boat lifting means to the opposite side thereof, and said boat inserting and removal means having rolling means engaged with said rails for permitting rolling movement thereon and having a structuread-apted to receive a boat from said boat lifting means, said structu-re being movable vertically'whereby to position a boat'opposite" any one of said compartments.

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS:

279;092, Goodwin June 5; 1883f 1 288,567: Hall" Dec. 24; 19.18" 2,280,567 Austin Apr. 211, 1942; 2,347,396 Grandall Apr. 25, 1944 2,633,809" Robinson, et al. A r. ,7, 19,53 26,75,134 Becker m-13,1954 2,687,814 Romick Atlg. 31; 1955. 2,761,57'1 Adam-s SeptIA', 1956 2,822,931 R: Feb; 111; 19531 2,873,866 A'u'stin'et'al. Feb. 17, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 59 E295 Germany; Markli; 1934' 4 cram-REFERENCES Popular Mechanics,'pages'1'04- 109, May" 1956." 

